World of Level Design™

Create your own infinity tiled interior environments (rooms and pools) where the layouts are only limited by your imagination. Create in the void.

This is a very easy-to-use modular UE5 environment asset pack of interior tiled rooms and pools.

It will allow you to create variety of interior liminal space layouts and change their visual look with 58 unique Static Meshes and 9 different Material Instances using UE5.

READ MORE... »

Struggling with harsh shadows on your water planes in UE5?

You're not alone! I had to deal with this myself.

Directional Light will cast blocky, hard shadows from nearby geometry onto Single Layer Water shaders and it will ruin your scenes. But don't worry, I got you covered!

READ MORE... »

Ever wondered how to create game-ready modular railings that snap perfectly into your Unreal Engine 5 environments?

In this latest in-depth tutorial, I'm pulling back the curtain on the complete workflow to design a 6-piece modular railing set from scratch using Maya and UE5.

Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned 3D artist, this step-by-step guide is packed with tips to elevate your modular design creation!

READ MORE... »

Want to take your game environments and UE5 environments to the next level?

I've put together a collection of modular meshes, customizable materials and game-ready props on the WoLD Patreon and you'll want to see what's inside.

Think HL2-inspired crates, sci-fi steel beams and iconic ceramic tiles. Whether you're building industrial scenes or modern scenes, these assets bring detail and style with zero hassle.

This compilation includes 10-ready to use environment assets.

READ MORE... »

Why should you use quad-based spheres instead of triangle-based spheres?

Let's deep dive into making a quad sphere in Maya - and how to make quad based capsules which are perfect for sci-fi based environments and props.

READ MORE... »

Starting a new project scene is a tedious process. I hate it. Not the creative part, but the setup: folders, grid, lighting, mesh files, and more.

Instead, I've got templates ready to go, saving setup time so I can jump from idea to prototyping right away.

I've got 11 templates, files, scenes for you to start with and evolve from.

READ MORE... »

The following tutorial series is directly from Module 1 of 3 of "Maya Foundation: Home-Study Course" tutorial course.

I've released this entire Module 1 of 3 completely free. It is focused on teaching you how to get started learning Maya completely from scratch in 4 hours.

In this post you will find all 17 videos from Module 1. Learn to use Maya in just 4 hours.

READ MORE... »

The following tutorial series is directly from Module 1 of 3 of "Maya Foundation: Home-Study Course" tutorial course.

I've released this entire first Module completely free. It is focused on teaching you how to get started learning Maya completely from scratch in 4 hours.

Unclutter and organize your large scenes by creating and using Display Layers in Maya. Here is how...

READ MORE... »

The following tutorial series is directly from Module 1 of 3 of "Maya Foundation: Home-Study Course" tutorial course.

I've released this entire first Module completely free. It is focused on teaching you how to get started learning Maya completely from scratch in 4 hours.

Tool Shelves in Maya is a quick way to access some of the most commonly used tools. Having a custom shelf will speed up your work in Maya. Here is how to create and manage shelves in Maya.

READ MORE... »

The following tutorial series is directly from Module 1 of 3 of "Maya Foundation: Home-Study Course" tutorial course.

I've released this entire first Module completely free. It is focused on teaching you how to get started learning Maya completely from scratch in 4 hours.

As you model anything, Maya will begin to acquire object's construction history. These are all the steps you've done to an object being kept in memory.

Object Construction History will begin to increase Maya's file size, decrease scene calculation speed, slow down viewport rendering and increase the changes of the file becoming corrupted.

Unless you periodically Delete Construction History on that object. Here is how...

READ MORE... »

This environment contains ONLY ONE LIGHT. One, single Sky Light.

There is no Directional Light and no Sky Atmosphere.

How?

HDRI. Here is how...

READ MORE... »

The following tutorial series is directly from Module 1 of 3 of "Maya Foundation: Home-Study Course" tutorial course.

I've released this entire first Module completely free. It is focused on teaching you how to get started learning Maya completely from scratch in 4 hours.

Custom Polygon Display will set visual preferences for how you want to view objects in Maya. Some of these options include backface culling, display normals, texture borders, open edge border and much more.

Many of these are very useful for environment modeling. Here are a few settings you need to know right now as you begin.

READ MORE... »

The following tutorial series is directly from Module 1 of 3 of "Maya Foundation: Home-Study Course" tutorial course.

I've released this entire first Module completely free. It is focused on teaching you how to get started learning Maya completely from scratch in 4 hours.

Deleting vertices, edges and faces isn't as simple as pressing Delete. In this tutorial you will learn how to properly delete components to avoid geometry problems.

READ MORE... »

The following tutorial series is directly from Module 1 of 3 of "Maya Foundation: Home-Study Course" tutorial course.

I've released this entire first Module completely free. It is focused on teaching you how to get started learning Maya completely from scratch in 4 hours.

In this tutorial you will learn the difference between Triangles, Quads and NGons. Which geometry type you should work with and which to avoid when modeling environments and props.

READ MORE... »

I will show you how to create a mask from Roughness texture to use in Substance Painter.

Doing this will help you adjust parts of the texture or material without affecting another part of a texture or material. This is especially important when you can't generate a mask from your existing setup yourself and have to create one manually.

You'll find yourself constantly in need of generating masks to control texturing your environments and props.

READ MORE... »

The following tutorial series is directly from Module 1 of 3 of "Maya Foundation: Home-Study Course" tutorial course.

I've released this entire first Module completely free. It is focused on teaching you how to get started learning Maya completely from scratch in 4 hours.

In this tutorial will learn how to snap objects to the gird and to other objects as well as to how modify pivot points. Snapping and pivot points are probably the most important elements of environment modeling that aren't mentioned enough.

READ MORE... »

The following tutorial series is directly from Module 1 of 3 of "Maya Foundation: Home-Study Course" tutorial course.

I've released this entire first Module completely free. It is focused on teaching you how to get started learning Maya completely from scratch in 4 hours.

In this tutorial you will go through a geometry blockout exercise to help you practice and integrate everything you've learned so far in Maya...

READ MORE... »

The following tutorial series is directly from Module 1 of 3 of "Maya Foundation: Home-Study Course" tutorial course.

I've released this entire first Module completely free. It is focused on teaching you how to get started learning Maya completely from scratch in 4 hours.

In this tutorial you'll learn how to start, save and open scenes in Maya...

READ MORE... »

The following tutorial series is directly from Module 1 of 3 of "Maya Foundation: Home-Study Course" tutorial course.

I've released this entire first Module completely free. It is focused on teaching you how to get started learning Maya completely from scratch in 4 hours.

In this tutorial you'll learn important settings for Axis Orientation for Move, Rotate and Scale tools. Something often not talked about and the first thing beginner's get stuck with...

READ MORE... »

"UE5: Master Material Creation" tutorial course is now out.

A tutorial course that will show you everything you need to know to begin creating and using UE5 Standard Material Editor for environments and props.

Tutorial course includes...

READ MORE... »

In this Let's Texture #3 episode, we'll texture a set of modular, modern steel beams and supports.

There are a lot of techniques and tips covered in this episode.

READ MORE... »

The following tutorial series is directly from Module 1 of 3 of "Maya Foundation: Home-Study Course" tutorial course.

I've released this entire first Module completely free. It is focused on teaching you how to get started learning Maya completely from scratch in 4 hours.

In this tutorial you'll learn important settings for Axis Orientation for Move, Rotate and Scale tools. Something often not talked about and the first thing beginner's get stuck with...

READ MORE... »

The following tutorial series is directly from Module 1 of 3 of "Maya Foundation: Home-Study Course" tutorial course.

I've released this entire first Module completely free. It is focused on teaching you how to get started learning Maya completely from scratch in 4 hours.

In this tutorial you will learn how to work with object's Component Mode. Be able to manipulate/change vertices, edges, faces and more...

READ MORE... »

The following tutorial series is directly from Module 1 of 3 of "Maya Foundation: Home-Study Course" tutorial course.

I've released this entire first Module completely free. It is focused on teaching you how to get started learning Maya completely from scratch in 4 hours.

In this tutorial you will learn how to work with polygon objects in Maya to begin your modeling journey...

READ MORE... »

The following tutorial series is directly from Module 1 of 3 of "Maya Foundation: Home-Study Course" tutorial course.

I've released this entire first Module completely free. It is focused on teaching you how to get started learning Maya completely from scratch in 4 hours.

In this tutorial we will cover various panel viewport toolbar options to improve modeling and working in Maya...

READ MORE... »

The following tutorial series is directly from Module 1 of 3 of "Maya Foundation: Home-Study Course" tutorial course.

I've released this entire first Module completely free. It is focused on teaching you how to get started learning Maya completely from scratch in 4 hours.

In this tutorial we will cover how to master viewport navigation in Maya...

READ MORE... »

The following tutorial series is directly from Module 1 of 3 of "Maya Foundation: Home-Study Course" tutorial course.

I've released this entire first Module completely free. It is focused on teaching you how to get started learning Maya completely from scratch in 4 hours.

In this tutorial we will cover Maya interface and everything you need to know...

READ MORE... »

The following tutorial series is directly from Module 1 of 3 of "Maya Foundation: Home-Study Course" tutorial course.

I've released this entire first Module completely free. It is focused on teaching you how to get started learning Maya completely from scratch in 4 hours.

In this tutorial I will show you how to set up projects in Maya.

READ MORE... »

Welcome to World of Level Design Patreon!

As many of you know I've been creating and sharing 3d tutorials since 2008.

I have created a lot of environments, levels, props, textures and usable assets over the years but many of these never get to see the light of day.

I want to change that by sharing environment assets and props you can use to create with. This way at least you get to use them.

By joining and becoming a part of WoLD Patreon, you will continue to support WoLD work...

READ MORE... »

In this tutorial I will show you 3 options for how to break up and add variation into your Roughness channel and textures.

• Option #1: Using Existing Roughness Channel (Simplest Way)
• Option #2: New Fill Layer w/Roughness Only
• Option #3: Best Option for Roughness Variation with Full Control

READ MORE... »

Each new layer you create (Fill or Empty Layer) will give you the following Channels: Base Color, Roughness, Metallic, Normal and Height.

All of them will be enabled by default but you can disable any of them at any time. This gives you control what information you want to create on that specific layer.

You need to know how to work with each of these channels in Substance Painter. In addition, you also need to know how to work with Masks.

In this post I will show you everything you need to know about Texturing Channels to start texturing in Substance Painter better and faster...

READ MORE... »

Learn how to convert existing textures such as Base Color or Normal Map into Texture Masks.

This tutorial contains following 2 methods:

• Creating Masks from Base Color Texture
• Creating Masks from a Normal Map (or Convert Normal Map to Height and AO)

READ MORE... »

Learn how to use the Clone tool to fix seams, tiling texture issues, removing repeating elements and copying elements from one area of the texture to another.

READ MORE... »

Quick Tip Series is created for beginners and advanced Unreal Engine 5 users.

These are quick, useful tips to help improve, refine, fix and remind you of tools, techniques and principles you may have not known or forgotten about.

All videos are short and get straight to the point.

The following Part 3 includes the following 10 Quick Tips...

READ MORE... »

How do you export textures from Substance Painter and import them into UE5 or UE4?

Then how to use these textures to create a material?

In this tutorial I will show you how...

READ MORE... »

You need Cinder Block textures and you need them now. There aren't any cinder blocks Standard Materials or Smart Materials that are included with Substance Painter.

But you can stay entirely in Substance Painter and use a Brick Generator texture to create a mask then build up the material yourself where you'll have full control over every property.

In this tutorial I will show you how to create two types of cinder block textures entirely in Substance Painter: clean/painted and old/damage.

READ MORE... »

Tiling is a method of repeating a texture horizontally and vertically to cover large geometry surfaces. Tiling textures are ideal for walls, floors, ceilings, landscapes or any continuous large surface. You can create seamless, tiling textures right inside Substance Painter and there are two methods you can use to do so.

I use this all the time (primarily the 2nd option), especially when creating modular assets that need tiling textures...

READ MORE... »

In this Let's Texture #2 episode, we'll create a decal stamp in Photoshop with rounded corners and transparent background to be used in Substance Painter. I used this image stamp in Let's Texture #1 to apply it to the wooden supply crate.

READ MORE... »

Let's Texture Half-Life 2 inspired wooden supply crate using Substance Painter. It is one of the most iconic props to be created for a game.

We'll go through the entire texturing process...

READ MORE... »

"Substance 3D Painter Essentials" tutorial course is now available to download.

It is the complete beginner guide to texturing with Substance 3D Painter for environments and props...

READ MORE... »

Ask yourself: "What is the smallest part of the environment I can create with the minimum amount of workable assets to showcase it? Before expanding to the rest of the environment?"

You think you need to create hundreds of assets and different variations of them right from the start. But instead of creating 5 different mesh variations for walls, windows, floors, doors - create just one that works. You can always expand and add variations later. But do just one first.

This is what I've been doing when working on modular environment assets. I focus on building a small prototype of one small area using only a handful of modular assets. Then I expand to the rest of the environment.

In this tutorial I will share my current workflow for prototyping blockouts for modular environments...

READ MORE... »

Generative Fill is an AI image creation tool in Photoshop that can be put to great use for ideas. It can create additional visual information inside or outside the image.

Find an image: can be a photo, concept art, completed work you've done or even half-finished projects and blockouts. Then run Generative Fill and watch ideas roll in.

In this tutorial you will learn how to use Photoshop's Generative Fill and all the tricks and tips to begin generating more ideas...

READ MORE... »

You have to allow yourself to experiment with different workflows to create environments faster.

Many projects can be done quicker if you let yourself try things out more while not having to create the "perfect environment" using "perfect workflow".

Instead of creating a modular asset pack then having to texture and construct the environment in UE5. What if I modeled everything in Maya and completed the entire environment? Then exported everything out of Maya into UE5 without having to reconstruct it?

Here is the full comprehensive breakdown on Making of The Globe Staircase...

READ MORE... »

Quixel Bridge gives you access to completed Megascans assets such as materials, 3d models and MetaHumans to bring into Unreal Engine.

With these you can detail your environments very quickly.

In this in-depth tutorial guide, I'll tell you everything you need to know to begin using Quixel Bridge to create with.

READ MORE... »

Once you have a Wav file imported into UE5, you need to create a Sound Cue from it to use it.

You can insert both into your level - Sound Wav and Sound Cue. But you will have more power with a Sound Cue.

In this tutorial we'll cover how to use Wav files and create Sound Cues to use in your environments.

READ MORE... »

Sound FX is one of the most overlooked and underused aspects of environment design. Yet sound is what makes the entire location come together with atmosphere and mood.

In this tutorial I will show you how to get, edit, export and import custom sounds from Audacity into UE5.

READ MORE... »

LUT stands for color lookup table. It is a small image file that contains color information of your scene. You can create and use these LUTs in UE5 within Post Process Volume to change the look and feel of your environment.

Here is everything you need to know how to create and use LUTs in Unreal Engine 5...

READ MORE... »

Using Dynamic Meshes has its upside: great for blockouts. But also has some downsides such as unable to export as FBX. In this post we'll cover a lot of problems and solutions while working with Dynamic meshes and converting them to Static Meshes.

READ MORE... »

Grouping objects together is a powerful technique that will make you create environments faster in UE5. The way this works is you select a bunch of objects inside your level. Group them. Then next time you select any of the objects within a group, they all get selected. Here is everything you need to know about Grouping/Ungrouping in UE5...

READ MORE... »

Foliage Mode is a great way to quickly populate landscapes with grass, bushes and trees.

But it doesn't have to be just foliage. You can use this mode to place Static Mesh props.

Here is everything you need to know...

READ MORE... »

Learn to place any Static Mesh into your level naturally and randomly without having to place them manually.

READ MORE... »